Carrots, Carrot Cake, Banana Cream Pie & More Spring Recipes
Easter weekend was sunny and beautiful on the Oregon coast albeit with its share of wind! We drove two hours south on the 101 to spend the weekend with family near Depoe Bay where we had no shortage of food or laughter. So, while these recipes may not be as relevant after Easter, I thought I’d share anyway! Besides, if you’re like me, I’m already thinking about what I’ll make next Easter. And, leftover ham in your scalloped potatoes is always a good idea.
Only some of what we made: Carrot Cake, Banana Cream Pie (with chocolate bird’s nest), Scalloped Potatoes, Carrots with Pistachios and Thyme, Easter Salad, Ham and Pepperjack Quiche
Double Strawberry-Pink Cupcakes
If you live in the PNW, you know that spring typically needs some help when it comes to springing! April showers, and even hail, are real. I attribute the dreary weather with why I’ve been unmotivated in the kitchen and hence haven’t been writing here on my blog. (Well, that and we’re prepping for a big move that has me distracted!) But the promise of spring flowers, and longer days have me excited to start making all the pretty pastel Easter-y dishes and desserts. Cheery shades of yellow and orange, springy green, bright pink and even robin’s-egg blue are giving me inspiration. But for now, I want to share my spring dessert debut: Double Strawberry Cupcakes from Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest. These are chockful of strawberry goodness in the form of homemade strawberry jam and freeze-dried strawberries. Cupcakes that are sure to make you happy with that little sprig of chamomile smiling up at you.
Tie-Dye Easter Eggs
Most of us associate tie-dye and tie-dye apparel with the hippies of the 60s. However, tie-dye was part of American culture in the roaring 20s, and the 80s decade is when tie-dye hit a high point in fashion. Tie-dye continues to come back in style every few years. During the pandemic, tie-dye made a massive comeback and was a hot quarantine fashion trend especially in the form of stay-at-home lounge sets. Most of us have tried our hand at tie-dyeing t-shirts or other clothing items at least once. I remember my sister making tie-dye shirts with my kids in the 90s (outside on the patio). Granted it can be a messy undertaking. But who doesn’t love a good tie-dye? When I saw tie-dye eggs pop up on my Instagram feed from Grossy Pelosi — using shaving cream or whipping cream —I knew that was definitely more my tie-dye speed. I’m here to tell you it worked magically and to share pics of my groovy eggs!
Frosted Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
If you lived in Eugene, Oregon or went to college in Eugene during the 80s and into the 90s, I’m betting you remember The Cookie Cottage in Valley River Center (VRC) shopping mall. And if you were not in the vicinity of Eugene during this time, you’ll wish you were once you see the cookies I’m about to tell you about. The Cookie Cottage featured a black pot-bellied stove and they sold several warm cookie varieties — but their specialty (or the most original) was a large chocolate cookie covered in chocolate frosting with a marshmallow filling. They were on the south end of the mall outside of Meier & Frank (where I happened to work during college). Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any information on the internet to confirm which years they were at the mall. I do know that when I was in college, and not naming names, we would make a special trip to Valley River for one of these cookies. Several of my sorority sisters (and my own three sisters) still talk about the renowned chocolate marshmallow cookies. In the words of one of my favorite sisters in the bond, they were “a fine product.”